Carpenter&#39;s claw hammer



Jan; M39," 1951 A 1YRRAL5T0N 2,539,860

Y CARPENTERPS CLAW HAMMER Filed Oct. '7, 1949 Inventor Arf/iur l?. Ralston WW1/wy n,

Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in claw hammers used by .car-v penters and others and has reference, more specifically, to ways and means whereby added leverage and iulcruming facilities on the usual hammer head make it possible for the user to easily extract relatively long nails without bending and distorting same.

As the preceding statement of the invention implies, so-called head fulcruming attachments are old and well known. Many and Varied styles and forms of such attachmentsl have been devised and used with varying degrees .of success. None, however, seems to meet the requirements of all concerned. Therefore, the principal object of this invention is to provide` a two-part attachment .of an improved form in which manufacturers and users will find their essential needs and requirements fully mety contained, and effectively available.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention, roller means is employed and .comes into play after the nali is partly extracted by the usual curvilinear claws, said means being in approximate alignment with the axis of the handle and allowing the head to roll in the direction of the nail and to at the `same time, provide the desired purchase and fulcruming action.

Another object of the invention is to provide roller Imeans which is wholly detachable and optionally usable and, in addition, to provide a simple and reliable adapter clamp. which is applied to and remains in constant position on the hammer head and which serves as a satis-factory mount and foundation for the roller means.

A further object of the invention has to do with the provision of an adapter clamp which has a rm and adequate keeper seat and a complemental spring clasp or detent which latter serves to securely but detachably saddle the roller means in place when latter is in use.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent fro-m the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is an elevational view of a conventional carpenters claw hammer and the improved leverage Vincreasing and fulcruming device in its useful'position on the hammer head;

Figure 2 is likewise a side elevational View illustrating the construction and appearance of parts when the roller means or unit is detached;

' of the roller unit 22.

Figure .3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional viewon the line 3-3 of Figure 4;

,Figure 4 is a section teken approximately on the plane of the line 4 4 of Figure 1; and

YFigure `5 is ,a fragmentary View in section and elevation showing the manner in which the `inventionis actually used.

Referring now to the drawings .and detailed various views by reference numerals .and accompanying ,lea-d lines it will be seen that the hammer is a conventional carpenters .claw hammer and Aembodies a handle .8 and -a conventional head l0, the latter including a socket member l2 attached to the handle .and provided on one side with a poll il and on the other diametrica-lly o pposite side with usual curvilinear .claws I6 having the usual iulcruming and extracting means for the .headed nail i3. As `shown in Figure `5, the nail is .being withdrawn .from a work piece 2B.

'The improved device may `be visualized as .a single attachment assembly and is `characterized by two complemental units; namely, .the roller or fulcruming unit 22 and theadapter unit or clamp 24. The clamp is U-shaped in .cross section vand resembles a saddle and includes Va flat rectangular .plate 2.5 having spaced parallel side .anges 25 .and .Sli which straddle the hammer head and which are partly held in place by set screws .32. AAt one .end .the iiange is `provided with spaced .parallel ,extensions or arms 34 which extend into the crotch portion 3.5 rand carry suitable assembling and bolting means 3B. As best .shown in Figures 2 and 3 the plate has transverse .longitudinally spaced outstanding shoulders l0 and #2 defining a keeper seat `fili. There `is a mound 4B :at one end and this serves to accommodate a rivet it which functions to hold the spring clip or clasp 58 in place. The clip, which bridges the keeper seat7 has its free end dared outwardly, as at 52, which flared end cooperates with a, coacting curved piloting surface 54 to facilitate attachment and detachmentof the U-shaped yoke The bight portion of the yoke (see Figures 3 and 4) is denoted at 56 and is made to lit securely in the keeper seat and heid in place by shoulders il@ and 42. The limb portions 58-58 carry and support axle means for the aluminum roller 60. The axle means is a double headed sleeve-bolt whose parts are denoted by the numerals 62 and 64 in Figure 4 and thus the roller unit is a simple yoke Ywith an idling roller mounted therein, the yoke being made for optional use in conjunction with the adapter clamp 24. It is evident that the elements 52 and 3 54 in Figure 2 facilitate the step of inserting and removing the roller unit.

The manner in which the two units are assembled for coacting use is illustrated in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5. Figure 2, as before stated, shows how the adapter clamp looks after the readily attachable and detachable roller unit has been removed. Figure 5 shows the manner in which the complete device is employed for catching hold of and extracting a headed nail from a work piece. Figures 3 and 4 serve to disclose additional structural details.

The use of added leverage attachments and fulcruming devices on claw hammers is well known in the art. For this reason, an extended explanation of factors of operation and use is apparently unnecessary.

The subjoined claims are directed, properly it is believed, to the complete assemblage 0n a hammer head and to the units, singly and collectively, which go to make up the overall attachment.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression -f of the alleged features of merit and novelty suicient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so long as no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a construction of the class shown and described, a handle, a hammer head mounted for use on said handle and including a socket member secured to said handle and having claw means at one end and a poll at the other end, an adapter clamp detachably saddled on said head in ap- A 3. In a construction of the class shown and described, a handle, a hammer head mounted for use on said handle and including a socket member secured to said handle and having claw means at one Yend and a poll at the other end, an adapter clamp embodying a at plate having spaced parali lel side flanges straddling said head, said flanges being provided with spaced harnessing arms Straddling said claw means, a cross-bolt carried by said arms and saddled on said claw means, said plate having transverse longitudinally spaced shoulders dening a keeper seat, a springy clip anchored at one end on said plate and having its other end free and bridging said seat, a yoke tted removably in said seat and held therein by said clip, and an idling roller mounted in said yoke.

4. A leverage increasing and fulcruming attachment for a claw hammer head embodying, as a unit of the overall attachment, an adapter clamp adapted to be removably saddled on a hammer head in alignment with the usual handle which is attached to said head, said clamp embodying a flat plate having spaced parallel side flanges straddling said head, said flanges being provided with spaced harnessing arms adapted to straddle the usual claw means on said head, a cross-bolt carried by said arms and saddled on said claw means, said plate having transverse longitudinally spaced shoulders deining a keeper seat, and a springy clip anchored at one end on said plate and having its other end free and bridging said seat.

5. A leverage increasing and fulcruming attachment for a claw hammer head comprising an adapter clamp adapted to be removably saddled on a claw hammer head in alignment with the usual handle on said head, said clamp embodying a flat plate having spaced parallel side flanges adapted to straddle said head, said flanges being provided with spaced harnessing arms adapted to straddle the claw means on said head, a cross-bolt carried by said arms and saddled on said claw means, said plate having transverse longitudinally spaced shoulders defining a keeper seat, a spring clip anchored at one end on said plate and having its other end free and bridging said seat, a yoke having its bight portion fitted in said seat between said shoulders and held in place by said clip, and an idling roller mounted in said yoke.

ARTHUR R. RALSTON.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 524,539 Burgess Aug. 14, 18,94 603,228 Ashley Apr. 26, 1893 1,782,506 Henderson Nov. 25, 1930 1,792,437 Metzger et al. Feb. 10, 1931 2,001,868 Crandall May 21, 1935 

